Multiple Choice
In genetics, any change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA is called a(n):
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17. Mutation, Repair, and Recombination
Types of Mutations
Multiple Choice
Which type of mutation most directly stops translation of an mRNA by introducing a premature stop codon in the coding sequence?
A
Missense mutation
B
In-frame deletion (multiple of 3 nucleotides)
C
Nonsense mutation
D
Silent (synonymous) mutation
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the process of translation, where the mRNA sequence is read in codons (sets of three nucleotides) to synthesize a protein.
Recognize that a stop codon signals the termination of translation, causing the ribosome to release the newly made polypeptide chain.
Identify that a nonsense mutation is a point mutation in the DNA sequence that changes a codon encoding an amino acid into a stop codon prematurely.
Contrast this with other mutation types: a missense mutation changes one amino acid to another, an in-frame deletion removes nucleotides in multiples of three without shifting the reading frame, and a silent mutation does not change the amino acid sequence.
Conclude that the mutation type that most directly stops translation by introducing a premature stop codon is the nonsense mutation.
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